My name is Sabrina Chen. I live in Huntsville, Alabama. I am in the 6th grade. I was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and we moved to Alabama in 1999. I love to read classic novels and write poetry. My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. It is a romance about the relationship between a man and a woman from very different classes in society. Reading literature isn't the only activity I enjoy; I have an innate passion for traveling around the world and being a part of many diverse cultures. I have visited Paris, France, Rome, Italy, Beijing, China, Vancouver, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. We are traveling to Egypt in December, too.
I have been playing the piano since I was 7 years old. I am currently learning Bach's Partita No. 1, and I played one of Mozart's sonatas last year. With music, you can soar through the sky and leave all your troubles behind.
I am also interested in math. I go to tournaments every month, and on Dec. 13, I have a competition in Birmingham.
ITALY - December 15, 2008
I am definitely looking forward to covering Europe this year. If I had to choose one country that I want to study about, it would be Italy. I visited Italy in 2nd grade and was facinated by the museums and the history. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting many of the ancient ruins and the trip to the Colosseum was extremely memorable. I believe it awe-inspiring how all these buildings survived for such a long period of time. However, to me, unleashing lions into the Colosseum stadium to fight the Romans is a very strange amusement for the citizens. I am interested in the artists of Italy as well as the architecture. Michelangelo's Pieta statue was amazing. I was so impressed at the details and the realism that Michelangelo was able to put into his marble statue. Lastly, I would love to study the building and the idea behind the Aqueduct. I got to drink out of the fountain from the Aqueduct during my trip to Italy, and the water was the purest I have ever tasted. It is amazing how there is still a flow of water coming from the archaic structure. I am eagerly awaiting our study of Europe!
My mother immigrated here in a serendipitous pull factor. She was born in Taiwan, but lived in many countries around the world including Thailand and the Netherlands. Her father was a diplomat from Taiwan, and was the ambassador to many countries, including Australia. She came to the U.S. by plane with her father when he was at the Embassy in Washington, D.C., and stayed on to continue a college degree at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was there that my mother, a college student, met a young man from Johns Hopkins. They fell in love and got married. She then decided to stay here and live in the United States.
Taiwan
Languages: Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese
Continent: Asia; island in the Pacific Ocean
Capital: Taipei
Major Cities: Gao Shong, Tai Nan Government: Democracy
Current President: Ma Ying Jyo
Population: 23 million
Area: 35,980 sq. km.
Terrain: Island
Eastern Taiwan: Mountainous
Western Taiwan: Gently sloping plains
Climate: Subtropical, hot, humid, with cool winters
Religions: Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christian, Roman Catholic
Holidays:Chinese Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Race, Moon Festival The Taiwanese Flag:( having trouble uploading; red background, with a white 12-point-sun at the upper-left-hand corner on top of a small blue rectangle) Sun: symbol of progress
12 points on the sun: 1 point for every traditional hour of the day (1 traditional hour = 2 conventional hours)
Fun Facts:
- Yellow taxi cabs everywhere on the street
- Pouring rain every day during Summer Monsoon Season
- Earthquakes and typhoons yearly
- Fast, clean underground subway in Taipei
- Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world with 101 stories and an antenna.
It contains a shopping mall, restaurants, bookshops, offices, banks, etc...
- There is a 7-11 on every corner
- The Taiwan government was one of the five representatives on the Security Council of the United Nations after WWII with the power to veto decisions. It was asked to vacate its position when the People's Republic of China was asked to join the United Nations in 1971.
Map of Taiwan, Taiwanese Flag
Dragon Boat Race, Moon Cake ( Moon Festival)
Dim Sum- popular Chinese luncheon, Taipei 101-tallest building in the world, Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial Hall
Chinese New Year Dragon Dance
CHEN TRAVEL AGENCY: COLON, PANAMA Colon, Panama, is a Caribbean port found at the northern end of the Panama Canal. Tourists visit here for its endless shopping, unbeatable scuba diving, and hours of quiet birdwatching. The Spot-Crowned Woodkeeper, Yellow-Green Tyrannulet, and Yellow Bellied Elaenia are among the many types of birds you will spot here. If you are an outdoor person, then this is the place to be. There are beaches for you to lounge in, water sports for you to enjoy, and infinite national parks and gardens. This is truly a nature-lover’s paradise.
Colon, Panama
Flight Information:
Huntsville, Alabama to Panama City, Panama
1-Stop: Delta, from $560
Continental, from $662
Northwest, from $789
Copa, from $1036
2-or-more-Stops: Delta, from $1919
Continental, from $1033
Aeromexico, from $1024
Recommended Hotels:
Melia Panama Canal: 4 Stars, rates from $90
Gamboa Rainforest Resort
Sierra Liorona Panama Eco-Lodge: 3 Stars, rates from $95 Four Points Colon: 3 Stars, rates from $105 Gamboa Rainforest Resort: 4 Stars, rates from $275 (right)
Points of Interest:
Fort San Lorenzo: This fort was ordered to be built by King Phillip II
in 1595. It is located on the Chagres River. (below)
Portabelo National Park: This is a beautiful bayside village featuring the ruins of five Spanish forts, a treasure
house, and Sir Francis Drake’s burial site. This historic park also has scubadiving activities.
Isla Grande: Located inside Portabelo National Park, this island features vast beaches,
scenic trails, and fun water sports for your whole family to enjoy. (below)
Isla Grande
Fort San Lorenzo
Restaurants: Restaurante Concolon: 4 stars; this is a contemporary restaurant serving mainly seafood. Price Range: $20 - $75
Club Union Arabe: 4 stars; this is a rather fancy restaurant, where many people hold business meetings and parties. It serves Lebanese and other international food. Price Range: $25 - $100
Cafe Iguana: *3 stars; this is another restaurant with an international cuisine, specializing in Lebanese and Mediterranean food. Price Range: $25 - $100
Panama Canal
Colon, Panama:
Languages: Spanish, English
Climate: Tropical Maritime
-----------------Rainy season: May - January -----------------Short, dry season: January to May
S A B R I N A
I created a website two years ago. If you would like to visit, the address is:
www.arts4fun.com
My name is Sabrina Chen. I live in Huntsville, Alabama. I am in the 6th grade. I was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and we moved to Alabama in 1999. I love to read classic novels and write poetry. My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. It is a romance about the relationship between a man and a woman from very different classes in society. Reading literature isn't the only activity I enjoy; I have an innate passion for traveling around the world and being a part of many diverse cultures. I have visited Paris, France, Rome, Italy, Beijing, China, Vancouver, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. We are traveling to Egypt in December, too.
I have been playing the piano since I was 7 years old. I am currently learning Bach's Partita No. 1, and I played one of Mozart's sonatas last year. With music, you can soar through the sky and leave all your troubles behind.
I am also interested in math. I go to tournaments every month, and on Dec. 13, I have a competition in Birmingham.
ITALY - December 15, 2008
I am definitely looking forward to covering Europe this year. If I had to choose one country that I want to study about, it would be Italy. I visited Italy in 2nd grade and was facinated by the museums and the history. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting many of the ancient ruins and the trip to the Colosseum was extremely memorable. I believe it awe-inspiring how all these buildings survived for such a long period of time. However, to me, unleashing lions into the Colosseum stadium to fight the Romans is a very strange amusement for the citizens. I am interested in the artists of Italy as well as the architecture. Michelangelo's Pieta statue was amazing. I was so impressed at the details and the realism that Michelangelo was able to put into his marble statue. Lastly, I would love to study the building and the idea behind the Aqueduct. I got to drink out of the fountain from the Aqueduct during my trip to Italy, and the water was the purest I have ever tasted. It is amazing how there is still a flow of water coming from the archaic structure. I am eagerly awaiting our study of Europe!
Map of Italy, Statue of Romulus and Remus
......................................................................................................................................................................................................
Family Immigration : Maternal Line
My mother immigrated here in a serendipitous pull factor. She was born in Taiwan, but lived in many countries around the world including Thailand and the Netherlands. Her father was a diplomat from Taiwan, and was the ambassador to many countries, including Australia. She came to the U.S. by plane with her father when he was at the Embassy in Washington, D.C., and stayed on to continue a college degree at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was there that my mother, a college student, met a young man from Johns Hopkins. They fell in love and got married. She then decided to stay here and live in the United States.
Taiwan
Languages: Mandarin Chinese, Taiwanese
Continent: Asia; island in the Pacific Ocean
Capital: Taipei
Major Cities: Gao Shong, Tai Nan
Government: Democracy
Current President: Ma Ying Jyo
Population: 23 million
Area: 35,980 sq. km.
Terrain: Island
Eastern Taiwan: Mountainous
Western Taiwan: Gently sloping plains
Climate: Subtropical, hot, humid, with cool winters
Religions: Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christian, Roman Catholic
Holidays: Chinese Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Race, Moon Festival
The Taiwanese Flag: ( having trouble uploading; red background, with a white 12-point-sun at the upper-left-hand corner on top of a small blue rectangle)
Sun: symbol of progress
12 points on the sun: 1 point for every traditional hour of the day (1 traditional hour = 2 conventional hours)
Fun Facts:
- Yellow taxi cabs everywhere on the street
- Pouring rain every day during Summer Monsoon Season
- Earthquakes and typhoons yearly
- Fast, clean underground subway in Taipei
- Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world with 101 stories and an antenna.
It contains a shopping mall, restaurants, bookshops, offices, banks, etc...
- There is a 7-11 on every corner
- The Taiwan government was one of the five representatives on the Security Council of the United Nations after WWII with the power to veto decisions. It was asked to vacate its position when the People's Republic of China was asked to join the United Nations in 1971.
Map of Taiwan, Taiwanese Flag
Dragon Boat Race, Moon Cake ( Moon Festival)
Dim Sum- popular Chinese luncheon, Taipei 101-tallest building in the world, Sun-Yat-Sen Memorial Hall
Chinese New Year Dragon Dance
CHEN TRAVEL AGENCY:
COLON, PANAMA
Colon, Panama, is a Caribbean port found at the northern end of the Panama Canal. Tourists visit here for its endless shopping, unbeatable scuba diving, and hours of quiet birdwatching. The Spot-Crowned Woodkeeper, Yellow-Green Tyrannulet, and Yellow Bellied Elaenia are among the many types of birds you will spot here. If you are an outdoor person, then this is the place to be. There are beaches for you to lounge in, water sports for you to enjoy, and infinite national parks and gardens. This is truly a nature-lover’s paradise.
Flight Information:
Huntsville, Alabama to Panama City, Panama
1-Stop: Delta, from $560
Continental, from $662
Northwest, from $789
Copa, from $1036
2-or-more-Stops: Delta, from $1919
Continental, from $1033
Aeromexico, from $1024
Recommended Hotels:
Melia Panama Canal: 4 Stars, rates from $90
Sierra Liorona Panama Eco-Lodge: 3 Stars, rates from $95
Four Points Colon: 3 Stars, rates from $105
Gamboa Rainforest Resort: 4 Stars, rates from $275 (right)
Points of Interest:
Fort San Lorenzo: This fort was ordered to be built by King Phillip II
in 1595. It is located on the Chagres River. (below)
Portabelo National Park: This is a beautiful bayside village featuring the ruins of five Spanish forts, a treasure
house, and Sir Francis Drake’s burial site. This historic park also has scubadiving activities.
Isla Grande: Located inside Portabelo National Park, this island features vast beaches,
scenic trails, and fun water sports for your whole family to enjoy. (below)
Restaurants:
Restaurante Concolon: 4 stars; this is a contemporary restaurant serving mainly seafood.
Price Range: $20 - $75
Club Union Arabe: 4 stars; this is a rather fancy restaurant, where many people hold business meetings and parties. It serves Lebanese and other international food. Price Range: $25 - $100
Cafe Iguana: *3 stars; this is another restaurant with an international cuisine, specializing in Lebanese and Mediterranean food. Price Range: $25 - $100
Colon, Panama:
- Languages: Spanish, English
- Climate: Tropical Maritime
-----------------Rainy season: May - January-----------------Short, dry season: January to May
- Currency: Balboa (PAB), U.S. Dollar (USD)
-------------------Exchange Rate: 1 PAB = 0.99 USDCaution: